Kinder Kara got more out of his Certificate in Creative Studies* than he ever thought he would.

“I had no confidence in myself or my skill, and it turns out I was quite good at a lot of things!”

Kinder has a background in Māori carving and art, but he wanted to learn how to paint.

“I loved every day of that programme.  I was really shy before I started at Otago Polytechnic, but the lecturers there helped show me that I can do what I set my mind to”.

That trust in his lecturers is quite something.  “Especially for someone who hated teachers!” he laughs.  He left high school after only two weeks, so studying at tertiary level is a real accomplishment.

Kinder found a lot of support at Poho – the Māori student space in Te Punaka Owheo at Otago Polytechnic.

“I was there every day.  It’s just like home, they make it like home”.

Kinder’s experience has been so good, he’s now studying for a Bachelor of Visual Arts.

“It’s scary, I have to learn a whole new language around art!  But one thing I learnt last year is to ask questions.  That was drummed into us at the pōwhiri.”

So now, Kinder asks questions, and he’s doing something he never thought he’d do … he’s succeeding in tertiary education.

*This certificate has now been replaced by the New Zealand Certificate in Arts and Design (Level 4) and the New Zealand Certificate in Digital Media and Design (Level 4).